Book reviews -- Protocols in Human Molecular Genetics: Methods in Molecular Biology (v. 9) edited by Christopher G. Mathew

Human Biology, Apr 1994 by Devor, Eric J

Protocols in Human Molecular Genetics: Methods in Molecular Biology, v. 9, edited by Christopher G. Mathew. Clifton, NJ: Humana Press, 1991. 461 pp. $69.50 (paper).

The advent of a new technology is always accompanied by a spate of "what it is" and "how to" books. Molecular biology has certainly not been exempt from this tradition. As might be expected, the quality of these books has been uneven, but a few have stood out from the rest. One such stand-out effort is the present volume, Protocols in Human Molecular Genetics, which serves as both a "how to" and a "what it is" resource.

The book opens with a discussion of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which includes both sage advice and useful protocols and information. The central role of PCR in molecular biology is reflected throughout this book. Indeed the first 14 chapters are PCR-based applications ranging from direct sequencing to the detection of single base-pair mutations.

Following chapter 14 is a series of papers discussing a variety of other techniques, including nonisotopic DNA detection, transverse-field electrophoretic techniques, and DNA fingerprinting. In addition, there is a nice update of the traditional Southern blot protocol and a good chapter on YACs.

From chapter 23 on, the book provides readers with an excellent series of review papers in which applications of the preceding techniques are presented. Notable among these reviews are discussions of the forensic uses of DNA fingerprinting, molecular diagnosis, and a set of three papers covering linkage analysis. These closing chapters add significant value to an already useful book and make it something everyone should want to have in their library.